Fridges Bring Fresh Opportunities for Rural Communities

Writing this blog has been eye opening in many ways; there are many things we use daily in the western world that we take for granted – one is the refrigerator. More than just keeping our drinks cold, fridges keep our food fresh for longer periods, allowing us to only go grocery shopping once a week, rather than everyday, just as an example. chotuKool is an innovation developed by Godrej, a company committed to Disruptive Innovation (DI) for “unlocking (the) large untapped market at the bottom of the income pyramid and fostering inclusive growth by improving their livelihood, living standards and their lifestyles.”

chotuKool is basically a smaller version of a refrigerator designed for use in rural villages in India that operates on a fan similar those found in computers and a cooling chip. Consuming half the power of regular fridges and capable of operating on a battery, the chotuKool can stay cool for hours without being plugged in. Created in collaboration between the Godrej DI team and potential consumers, Godrej, with the help of NGOs and micro-finance institutions, has formed a social entrepreneurship channel to introduce the product to villages.

Budding entrepreneurs are trained and nurtured to build their own demonstration and distribution outlets and have the opportunity to grow as a member of a larger organization, earn an income, and develop their professional skills. The chotuKool can also be an income generating asset offering sustainable livelihoods for shopkeepers and food vendors, and prolongs the shelf -life and earning potential of their inventory which ranges from flowers to vegetables.

The true vision for the product as described on the chotuKool website, beyond bringing added convenience to millions of households in rural India, is to build a network of over 5000 micro entrepreneurs who earn wages that provide an enhanced, better life and a brighter future.

Thank you chotuKool and Godrej for making our world wonderful.

LET ME KNOW, REPLY BELOW: What is a household appliance you cannot live without?